A presentation on the 89th District Court’s 2012 annual report was given at Tuesday’s meeting of the Cheboygan County Board of Commissioners.

Judge Maria Barton touched on parts of the report, which was provided in its entirety in a written format to the Board of Commissioners.

Barton said some significant accomplishments in 2012 included coming in under budget and for three years before that.

“In 2012, District Court’s court budget was $522,668, which was reduced by $583.79 from the 2011 budget,” Barton said in the report. “In 2012, the 89th District Court’s total expenditures were $9,051.10 less than budgeted.”

A total savings of $130,411.96 resulted from coming in under budget from 2009-2012.

Barton said jury costs continue to be well-managed, totaling $2,923.68 in 2012. She also noted that more defendants are paying fines at the time of sentencing, reducing staff time required to pursue collection.

Another accomplishment was the installation of Polycom, an electronic video system that allows courts to use video proceedings to resolve cases when defendants are lodged in other counties or in prison to save on transportation costs and possible overtime. Since it was installed in September of 2012, the District Court has saved about $940, Barton noted.

The report also noted efficient case processing — meaning the number of cases disposed of during the year is equal to the number of cases filed — with a clearance rate of 100 percent or greater over the past three years. The rate for 2012 is not available until May.

Barton also reported the creation of Sobriety Court as a significant accomplishment of 2012. The program’s team underwent training in June of 2012, and the program began in August.

“The 89th District Court revised workload and job responsibilities within the court to be able to operate the Sobriety Court without additional personnel or costs to the county,” Barton reported. “Participants in the program are responsible for paying their fines and costs, a participation fee of $20 per month for each month in Sobriety Court, fees for drug testing, fees for alcohol monitoring systems, and counseling.”

Barton noted the Sobriety Court budget is comprised of funds the 89th District Court receives annually from the state for drunk driving and drug cases filed. The court receives an average of $9,000 to $12,000 annually.

A total of eight participants were accepted into the program in 2012, with only one discharged due to non-compliance. Based upon the charges of the seven individuals still involved and their possible jail sentence, an estimated $19,900 in jail costs for the county was saved by the program, based on $20 a day per inmate.

Barton said it is an 18-month program and the court is only 8 months into it. There are currently 10 participants.

According to Barton, 89th District Court has also met or exceeded most of the guidelines set by the Michigan Supreme Court in regards to timely case disposition.

Page 2 of 2 - Barton also noted that the court’s revenue was down in 2012 about $95,000 from 2011, due to decreasing civil infraction and misdemeanor cases in the traffic division of the court. The decrease in cases is believed to be due to the reduction of officers policing Cheboygan County, she added.

Barton and her staff were commended by the Board of Commissioners for providing a good report.